Meadows, Rogers tussle in final debate

Published: Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at 11:03 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at 11:03 p.m.

CULLOWHEE - In their last debate before the Nov. 6 election, 11th District congressional candidates Mark Meadows and Hayden Rogers faced off Tuesday in front of a packed auditorium at Western Carolina University.

The two candidates sparred most sharply over the federal government's role in education, a fitting topic given the number of college students sitting among the roughly 200 audience members in WCU's A.K. Hinds University Center.

Meadows, a Republican, said he favored keeping control of education at the state and local level. He's called for eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and breaking up its $69 billion budget into state block grants.

“The more that we put an emphasis at a federal level, the less likely it is to get the results,” he said.

Democratic candidate Rogers said he would not have had the opportunity to attend Princeton University if it weren't for U.S. student loans and other federal aid programs. He pointed out that “our competitors in the global market” — China, Germany, India — all invest in education and job training at the federal level.

“I don't think (those countries) are the hallmark of what we need to be following in terms of our education system,” Meadows responded, evoking applause from his supporters.

Rogers responded that 73 percent of the students at WCU are dependent on grants, financial aid, student loans or scholarships. Small communities don't have the tax base to support such aid, he said. “You have to have the pooled resources and the economy of scale to do this so access and opportunity is for everyone.”

"Let's be clear, I was not for eliminating federal loans for students," Meadows said. "I've never said that and I've been on the campaign for over a year and three months."

While agreeing that women deserve equal pay for equal work, the two men differed on how to enforce it. Rogers said he supports the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which allows women greater opportunity to sue over pay inequity at the workplace. Meadows said he opposes it because “it prolongs the time where somebody can come back and say, ‘I was discriminated on, way back when.' I'm not for that, no.”

Meadows said there are existing federal laws on the books that protect women from discrimination in the workplace, and those should be enforced.

Asked by moderator Russ Bowen of WLOS to clarify their positions on Obamacare, Meadows said he was for repealing the entire law but thought its aspects regarding pre-existing conditions and allowing young people to remain on their parents' policies until age 26 were worth working toward “in the private sector.”

If Meadows likes those aspects of Obamacare, Rogers said, “he could go and work to build a coalition to eliminate all of those things (he dislikes),” while keeping the parts he agrees with. “But he chooses not to for the political value of undoing the Affordable Care Act. People who are able to buy insurance now because of this, why kick them off?”

Rogers said Rep. Heath Shuler, who he worked for as chief of staff, voted against Obamacare twice “because we didn't think the bill did enough to curb costs.” But Rogers doesn't favor repealing the law now because there are some valuable aspects to it, including reducing the costs of prescription drugs for seniors.

“So he was against it, and now he's for it because it's passed,” Meadows retorted. “I don't understand that. The reason you didn't vote for it was they didn't need your vote!”

Since neither candidate has ever held public office, Bowen asked, “Why should the voters…not be more concerned about your lack of experience as an elected public servant?”

As a businessman, Meadows said he knows how to make a payroll, how to mediate between differing parties, and “I understand how regulations put a stranglehold on businesses.” Rogers said his experience as Shuler's chief of staff has prepared him to work across the aisle to get things done. “I'm the only candidate, out of the original 11 that ran, that can go to work for the people of Western North Carolina on day one,” he said.

Rogers faces an uphill battle to win the seat vacated by his former boss, Shuler. Once one of the most competitive in North Carolina, the district was re-drawn in 2011 so that Democratic-heavy Asheville is now in the 10th District, leaving rural counties that tilt Republican.

The debate was sponsored by WCU's Department of Political Science and the Public Policy Institute.

<p>CULLOWHEE - In their last debate before the Nov. 6 election, 11th District congressional candidates Mark Meadows and Hayden Rogers faced off Tuesday in front of a packed auditorium at Western Carolina University.</p><p>The two candidates sparred most sharply over the federal government's role in education, a fitting topic given the number of college students sitting among the roughly 200 audience members in WCU's A.K. Hinds University Center.</p><p>Meadows, a Republican, said he favored keeping control of education at the state and local level. He's called for eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and breaking up its $69 billion budget into state block grants. </p><p>“The more that we put an emphasis at a federal level, the less likely it is to get the results,” he said.</p><p>Democratic candidate Rogers said he would not have had the opportunity to attend Princeton University if it weren't for U.S. student loans and other federal aid programs. He pointed out that “our competitors in the global market” — China, Germany, India — all invest in education and job training at the federal level.</p><p>“I don't think (those countries) are the hallmark of what we need to be following in terms of our education system,” Meadows responded, evoking applause from his supporters. </p><p>Rogers responded that 73 percent of the students at WCU are dependent on grants, financial aid, student loans or scholarships. Small communities don't have the tax base to support such aid, he said. “You have to have the pooled resources and the economy of scale to do this so access and opportunity is for everyone.”</p><p>"Let's be clear, I was not for eliminating federal loans for students," Meadows said. "I've never said that and I've been on the campaign for over a year and three months."</p><p>While agreeing that women deserve equal pay for equal work, the two men differed on how to enforce it. Rogers said he supports the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which allows women greater opportunity to sue over pay inequity at the workplace. Meadows said he opposes it because “it prolongs the time where somebody can come back and say, 'I was discriminated on, way back when.' I'm not for that, no.”</p><p>Meadows said there are existing federal laws on the books that protect women from discrimination in the workplace, and those should be enforced. </p><p>Asked by moderator Russ Bowen of WLOS to clarify their positions on Obamacare, Meadows said he was for repealing the entire law but thought its aspects regarding pre-existing conditions and allowing young people to remain on their parents' policies until age 26 were worth working toward “in the private sector.”</p><p>If Meadows likes those aspects of Obamacare, Rogers said, “he could go and work to build a coalition to eliminate all of those things (he dislikes),” while keeping the parts he agrees with. “But he chooses not to for the political value of undoing the Affordable Care Act. People who are able to buy insurance now because of this, why kick them off?”</p><p>Rogers said Rep. Heath Shuler, who he worked for as chief of staff, voted against Obamacare twice “because we didn't think the bill did enough to curb costs.” But Rogers doesn't favor repealing the law now because there are some valuable aspects to it, including reducing the costs of prescription drugs for seniors.</p><p>“So he was against it, and now he's for it because it's passed,” Meadows retorted. “I don't understand that. The reason you didn't vote for it was they didn't need your vote!”</p><p>Since neither candidate has ever held public office, Bowen asked, “Why should the voters…not be more concerned about your lack of experience as an elected public servant?”</p><p>As a businessman, Meadows said he knows how to make a payroll, how to mediate between differing parties, and “I understand how regulations put a stranglehold on businesses.” Rogers said his experience as Shuler's chief of staff has prepared him to work across the aisle to get things done. “I'm the only candidate, out of the original 11 that ran, that can go to work for the people of Western North Carolina on day one,” he said.</p><p>Rogers faces an uphill battle to win the seat vacated by his former boss, Shuler. Once one of the most competitive in North Carolina, the district was re-drawn in 2011 so that Democratic-heavy Asheville is now in the 10th District, leaving rural counties that tilt Republican.</p><p>The debate was sponsored by WCU's Department of Political Science and the Public Policy Institute.</p>